“Our clients are asking for a global partner which can provide a seamless process for the implementation of global marketing efforts,” says David Moody, Freedman’s VP Business Strategy. “Today, using new technologies, a brand can be relevant in numerous different markets using the same core materials.”

Freedman works with international brands such as Electronic Arts, InterContinental Hotels Group, Delta Airlines and Shell. Its new office in Singapore is designed to help streamline the marketing performance of its wide-ranging client base, at a time when Asia is playing an increasingly important role on the world stage.

Explains Moody: “We let creative agencies focus on what they do best. What we offer, in terms of project management, involves a different mindset and different skills sets. We provide expertise in terms of how to appeal to a target market, and the means to adapt creative concepts and to make them relevant to various cultures. So much digital content in particular runs across numerous markets these days – we are able to implement a consistent and efficient approach.”

“We provide the nuts and bolts – elements such as translation, localization of creative, digital implementation, and print-buying,” he adds. “We don’t just take a brief. We work with our clients to audit the way they approach their communications and put together a plan which will work across borders.”

In a bid to develop market share in the world’s largest mobile phone market, the company is joining forces with China’s largest mobile operator China Mobile and Gome Electrical Appliances Holding, China’s largest electronics retailer, to market HTC phones.

An article in the Financial Times yesterday, highlights the fact that despite Taiwan’s proximity to China and a shared language and culture, HTC chose to launch first as a brand in Europe, followed by the US, before introducing itself to Chinese consumers.

According to the FT, there are a number of reasons why the company has thought global first and local second. The challenge for Taiwanese tech players has been to find global brand solutions, in order to turn themselves from contract manufacturers, operating on slim margins, into global brands. Some Taiwanese companies have tried to operate all retail outlets themselves, or relied on national-level operators. In a country the size of China, provincial networks and outsourcing are more effective.

Speaking to the FT, Peter Chou, HTC chief executive said, “To build a global brand is difficult, and we had no experience. We needed to build localised marketing operations.” “Now, as our global brand recognition has risen steeply, the time is right,” he added.

Since 2003, HTC has been working with Shanghai-based strategic partner Dopod Communications Corp to deliver models carrying the “Dopod” brand, although HTC branded phones were unavailable in China. If the company’s global brand marketing efforts in China go to plan over the next six months, according to the chief executive, HTC is likely to merge with Dopod.

Kirin is paying Y84.6bn ($972m) for a 14.7% stake in Fraser and Neave, the largest drinks company in Malaysia and Singapore and producer of Tiger and Anchor beers, according to the Financial Times report.

The deal highlights Japanese companies’ strategic effort to compensate for sluggish sales at home by turning to emerging markets in Asia. Kirin has made a number of acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific region over the past few years. The latest deal is expected to strengthen its currently weak position in the region.

The Japanese group, which also owns a food and beer group in Australia, has a goal to become a leading company in Asia and Oceania. Its aim is to increase its overseas sales ration from 25% this year to 29% by March 2013.

Fraser and Neave will offer Kirin a south-east Asian network, as well as the potential to tap into its Australian dairy and beverage businesses. “This deal will give us a base in south-east Asia, where we have been weak,” said Hirotake Kobayashi, Kirin Managing Director. “The deal is small but it is strategically important.”

David Moody, Freedman’s VP Business Strategy, explains that Freedman’s decision to open an office in the region is part of an ambitious growth plan. The move also follows the agency network’s recent repositioning under the strapline ‘Global Marketing Performance’ – which is designed to reflect the overall aim of its work with its international clients.

“Before, we were perceived as primarily European,” he says. “But in the face of rapid globalization, increasingly you’ve got to be able to provide a global solution. Our clients want a global partner – one which can offer an overarching process for marketing campaign implementation.

Account Director Neil Schrum will be working from the Atlanta base. Formerly at Digitas, and an American himself, he fully understands the market in which he will be operating.

Adds Moody: “We don’t want to be perceived as complacent. We are demonstrating that we can provide a unique opportunity to help clients create a coherent vision about where they can make process and structural changes, and which technologies they can use to facilitate this process. Our approach is radical, and fundamentally it’s about understanding how marketing can perform globally to hit more ambitious business targets.”

Store traffic increased by 6% in the US, and by 4% internationally, lifting quarterly profits by 37% to $207.9 million (£136 million) in the 13 weeks to June 27th.

Overseas growth is a high priority for the business, with the majority of new store openings (250 this year and 500 planned for 2011) happening outside of the US. Revenue rose by nearly 9% to $2.61 billion in Q3, despite 144 under-performing US stores being closed.

“Starbucks’ third quarter results reflect a continuation of the strong performance and momentum we have been driving across our businesses around the world,” said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and CEO of the group.

He added that the recent success is largely down to the “most significant marketing investment in the company’s history”.

Much of this was ploughed into launching Starbucks Via, an instant coffee variety, in US grocery outlets. Since its September debut, the product has performed strongly and is now on track to hit $100 million in sales in its first year.

The global marketing effort has also included announcing upcoming product launches in Japan and the UK, and investing in the blended drinks category, for example with the Frappuccino.

In a move that will enable the homewear and clothing company to operate more efficiently and consistently across Asia, it has agreed to buy back wholesale and retail distribution from its South Korean licensee, Doosan Corp. The deal, worth $47 million, will be effective from December 31, 2010,

Chief Operating Officer Roger Farah said that assuming control of South Korea would make the company’s Asian operations “more closely aligned with our global brand positioning and objectives”. He also explained that the company’s fully integrated Asian strategy will “optimise the unique opportunities of each country”.

CEO Ralph Lauren added that international expansion was of highest strategic priority for the brand, and that South Korea is one of its largest markets. The move suggests implications for the company’s international retail marketing strategy.

“[South Korea] has always been an important territory for us. It remains one of the world’s most vibrant markets for luxury goods,” he said.”South Korean consumers have developed a strong appreciation for our iconic lifestyle sensibility and we are excited to build on this success.”

Polo Ralph Lauren began a series of Asian acquisitions in Japan in 2007, followed by several other key Asian markets in January 2010.

HSBC, which has for many years been branding itself as ‘The World’s Local Bank’ is pursuing a strategy promoting the understanding of different cultures as key to developing successful business relations. The company has sponsored this summer’s ‘Festival Brazil’, a programme of cultural activities at London’s South Bank Centre. Running alongside the cultural event is a series of business seminars and conferences about operating in Brazil designed to help people, including foreign journalists and trade representatives to engage with the festival.

Key to successful expansion in new markets for companies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s has been research and investment in products adapted to local tastes.

Starbucks has until recently pursued a strategy trading on its all American image. However, the company is now subtly adapting products to local tastes at the same time as tailoring some outlets more closely to the local environment. The company hope to reconnect with local communities whilst maintaining its core American image.

McDonald’s wanted to develop its business in India, a country where 80% of people do not eat beef. The company decided to conduct in-depth analysis in several states to find out about local tastes, with the aim of targeting a variety of products at consumers in different markets. This resulted in vegetarian burgers and other Indian dishes served in a Gujarat restaurant, whilst meat burgers (the Maharaja Mac with lamb or chicken) for non-beef eaters were introduced in New Delhi.

But not all global companies need to adapt to different cultures says the report. Companies such as Apple compete on pace of innovation rather than localization, since it sells the same iPad worldwide. Mr Nijhoff Asser consultant at Trompenaars Hampden-Turner said, “HSBC, Ryanair and Apple’s top teams have asked themselves what makes their companies better than anyone else and added,” Ryanair does not worry about adapting its product to local markets. Its competitiveness lies in price: “Whether you decide to differentiate your market is entirely dependent on your product.”

The new brand, Shang Xia which means “up and down” in English, has been developed in China with the Hermès Chinese team, in an effort to appeal to more Chinese consumers with localized products. A new Shang Xia shop is due to open in Shanghai selling tableware and furniture.

However there has been concern amongst commentators that Shang Xia will dilute the Hermès brand and discussion about whether designing products specifically for the Chinese market will be a success.

Quoted in an article in the Financial Times this week, Shaun Rein of China Market Researchgroup in Shanghai, said “Foreign brands want to say: ‘We are foreign’”. He said “most Chinese consumers did not want made-for-China products.” Sun Yimin, an expert on luxury consumption at Shanghai’s Fudan University commented, “shoes, handbags and jewellery that are obviously of foreign design sell much better than such products designed for the local market”

However, according to the Financial Times, the company may be following other luxury brands such as Chanel and Prada who have launched products for Shanghai’s World Expo and to appeal to the Shanghai government, rather than changing their approach to global brand marketing.

Notably, the company has not done any advertising for the brand. Asked why the company was launching the Shang Xia brand, Florian Craen, Hermès managing director in north Asia would only say that it was intended to “pay tribute to the long existing craftsmanship in China.” He added “the main Hermès line, which has 18 stores in China, would not make special products for the Chinese market.”

Brands with a centralised structure (with brands managed centrally, rather than locally), can lose track of consumer needs and shopper insights, according to the study by Roland Berger and Ipsos.

As a result, centralised product launches suffer significantly higher flop rates (80%) than decentralised ones (50%) posing the question whether companies should opt for global corporate branding or localization.

According to a study conducted by Nielsen, flop rates in the German FMCG market are as high as 85%. Another study found that out of 24,000 new products, only half survived their first year in the market (Source: GfK/Madakom,1998).

In 2001, 32,000 new products were launched, and only 30% survived the first year. Roland Berger and Ipsos cite relevance and differentiation in the market as two top criteria for global brand marketing success.

The starting point, the study suggests, is a clearly positioned international brand portfolio which adds value to consumers.

Further research suggests that true innovations have a higher chance of success than “me-too products”

The American Marketing Association (North America’s largest marketing association) and the Global Marketing Network (the marketing professionals worldwide membership group) have joined forces to co-develop a range of measures. The idea is to create a new set of global standards for the marketing profession.

The report, on utalkmarketing.com, says it’s hoped that the partnership will boost the profession with ‘the most comprehensive and widespread support’ for the international marketing community.

The measures include jointly developed branded membership offerings, new globally-accredited certification programmes, and the AMA being appointed as a GMV Professional Development Centre and distributor for GMN’s Global Marketer Programme in North America.

A joint statement issued by AMA Chief Executive Dennis Dunlap and GMN Chief Executive Darrell Kofkin said that the relationship will “build on the competences of both organisations and provide marketing professionals around the world with the high level of continuing professional development they require in order to achieve dynamic growth outcomes for their companies, organisations, and clients in this every changing and highly complex marketing environment. Such developments will support marketing’s rightful place in the boardrooms of the world.”

The new measures are expected to launch formally in North America, the UK and globally from this Autumn.